Fresh off one of the most entertaining events of the year on Wednesday, it's already time to look ahead to Saturday's UFC Fight Night event in Dublin, headlined by featherweight Conor McGregor and Diego Brandao.

Fresh off Wednesday night’s action-packed collection of scraps from Atlantic City, it’s already time to look ahead to the next event – Saturday’s return to Dublin, Ireland.

Headlined by hometown featherweight and rising star Conor McGregor, this 10-fight card is going to be electric as the Irish fight fans that will pack the O2 Arena have been waiting five long years to host another UFC event.

There is lots to talk about, so let’s get to it.

Here are 5 Reasons to Watch UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Brandao.

1. The Notorious CMG

It doesn’t matter whether you appreciate Conor McGregor’s brand of self-promotion and bravado or not – there is no denying that “The Notorious” has turned himself into a burgeoning superstar after just two UFC appearances and Saturday is both his homecoming and potential coming out party.

With his personality and panache, McGregor has the potential to be one of the biggest stars in the sport, but that all goes away if he hits a speed bump on his way to the top of the division and that’s what ramps the intrigue in this fight.

McGregor is returning after a 10-month layoff following knee surgery and has the pressure of fighting at home on his shoulders, though he says he feels no pressure at all and believes he’s a better fighter now than prior to the injury.

The 26-year-old Irishman is a creative and aggressive striker and will rise to the moment. Headlining at home with bigger fights on the horizon should bring out the very best in McGregor on Saturday.

2. Nothing to Lose for Diego Brandao

After winning the featherweight competition on Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter, Brandao appeared poised to be a future contender in the 145-pound weight class. Instead, the former Team Jackson-Winkeljohn student has been inconsistent and could be on the brink of being released given his recent struggles.

And that’s what makes him even more dangerous heading into Saturday’s main event assignment opposite McGregor.

Last time out, Brandao threatened to stab Dustin Poirier prior to weigh-ins, missed weight and got finished in the first round… and yet he’s got a chance upset one of the most hyped prospects in the organization.

When he’s focused and on point, Brandao can look like a future champion, but those performances have been intermittent in his UFC career. If that version of Brandao shows up in Dublin, Saturday’s main event could be fantastically violent and entertaining.

3. Gunnar Nelson is Fighting

Nelson is a stoic Icelandic welterweight with a karate background and legitimately world class jiu jitsu. Tell me that combination alone doesn’t pique your interest in seeing him fight?

He and McGregor are close friends and long-time training partners and really are two sides of the same coin – where the Irishman is brash and boisterous, Nelson is humble and quiet, but he’s every bit as skilled and talented as his fellow John Kavanagh pupil.

With three UFC wins already under his belt (and a perfect professional record overall), Nelson is further ahead in a deeper division than McGregor at this point and should find himself opposite some of the bigger names in the 170-pound ranks if he’s victorious on Saturday.

While McGregor is getting the majority of the attention heading into the UFC’s return to Ireland, Nelson might be the better prospect once the cage door closes. Zak Cummings is on a nice little roll and a tough veteran, so this will be a chance to get another measure of where Gunni’s ceiling rests.

4. Top 10 Flyweight Grudge Match

Ian McCall and Brad Pickett both sit in the Top 10 in the UFC’s 125-pound weight class and after having their first encounter postponed, the acrimony between these two has grown and should result in a fantastic fight between these two on Saturday.

Pickett earned a hard-fought win in his divisional debut against Neil Seery, while McCall rebounded from an 0-2-1 start in the UFC with a victory last time out. They’ve talked a bunch of smack with each other in the extended preamble to this contest and know there is a lot at stake in this one, so expect it to start quickly and never slow down.

Flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson is running through challengers at a breakneck pace these days, so the winner here could be in line for a title shot in the near future. Pickett holds a win over “Mighty Mouse” from their days as WEC bantamweights and “Uncle Creepy” wants to make up for his two prior poor outings against the champ.

Even without the potential title implications, this should be a fierce contest that measures up to last night’s firefight between John Lineker and Alp Ozkilic.

5. Pressure is on Cathal Pendred

Pendred, a semifinalist on the most recent season of The Ultimate Fighter, is another John Kavanagh student realizing a lifelong dream of fighting at home here. After making the show with plenty of fanfare and without having to win his way into the house, “The Punisher” gets his opportunity to step into the Octagon for real and the pressure is on.

The former Cage Warriors welterweight champion takes on fellow Team Penn fighter Mike King in his homecoming bout and needs to show more than he did during his time on TUF.

When he’s at his best, Pendred can be suffocating and efficient, keeping a relentless pace and working for takedowns behind good hands. But he didn’t show that on the Ultimate Fighter and with his future resting in the loaded 170-pound weight class, the Straight Blast Gym representative needs to come away with a strong showing over King in order to secure his place on the roster long term.

All that being said, do not underestimate the impact fighting at home will have on Pendred. Just as it will bring out the best in his teammates Paddy Holohan, Gunnar Nelson and Conor McGregor, expect Saturday’s showdown with King to feature the most prepared and focus version of Pendred to ever step into the cage.

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